Western Growers has commented on President Donald Trump’s imposition of 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico and 10% tariffs on goods from China. The Trump administration has since announced to delay tariffs on imports from Mexico for a month.
The organization says its members and their workers provide over half the nation’s fresh fruits, vegetables and tree nuts, including half of America’s fresh organic produce. Dave Puglia, president and CEO of Western Growers, which represents local and regional family farmers growing fresh produce in California, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico, issued the following statement over the weekend:
“Canada and Mexico are the first- and second-largest importers of U.S.-grown fresh produce while China, another significant fresh produce importer, is the No. 2 importer of American tree nuts. Imposition of tariffs with our key trading partners in this manner and at these levels will almost certainly result in retaliatory tariffs that harm American growers,” Puglia said.
Canada and Mexico have announced retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports.
“While we appreciate the border security issues apparently motivating the Trump administration, rival growers of specialty crops outside of the U.S. will move quickly to seize the new business opportunities created by these tariffs to sell into the Canadian, Mexican and Chinese marketplaces,” Puglia continued in the statement. “Their success in doing so could permanently displace American growers from these key markets. This is the same pattern that emerged during the imposition of tariffs on Chinese goods during the first Trump administration.
“We urge the Trump administration to use these tariffs in a strategic manner with an eye towards swift removal,” he continued. “Although we hope any trade tension will be short in duration, we ask the Trump administration to quickly implement mitigation programs to offset the revenue that will be lost due to these actions. At minimum, this approach should replicate the Market Facilitation Program implemented during the first Trump administration following the imposition of tariffs on China.”
